MBM Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Hi All, Just wondering if anyone has any tips on masking the underside of airliners to get it perfectly horizontal and symmetrical? I'm currently working on a DHL 767 300F and the red underbelly is proving to be a problem, I don't trust doing it by eye even with Tamiya (non flexi) masking tape, with the fuselage tapering backwards towards the tail and apu and the foreshortening of the angle I don't know whether my masking will be in fact horizontal. Even if it is horizontal it certainly doesn't look like it with this distortion. I have considered using a jig and waterline marker but being on a super tight budget I can't really afford to splash out on them both. If anyone has any tips they'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade H Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 (edited) That would seem to be no different to marking out any straight line over a tapered/curved surface, so I will outline what I do for anything from invasion stripes to racing car schemes. If you can pick out nodes along the line, using surface details and/or measurements from other known points, mark these nodes with strips or triangles of tape, as many as necessary (once you have the key nodes picked out, you can easily add more inbetween), and then place the masking edge adjacent to them. The line is easiest to apply with a tape which bends just enough but does not stretch too readily, to avoid introducing errors between nodes. Leave vinyl tape for the sharpest curves, because it can distort during application; instead, use something like a 2 or 3mm tape or cut strips from masking sheet (the graph type is very handy) with a fresh blade. Trial, error, and experience will soon tell you what width is most suited to a given surface shape. Edited January 4, 2022 by Ade H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 13 hours ago, MBM said: I have considered using a jig and waterline marker but being on a super tight budget I can't really afford to splash out on them both. No need to splash out anything on jigs and waterline markers A custom jig can be constructed from scrap packaging, expanded poystyrene, corrugated cardboard, foam board, or raid the kids Lego. You just need something to support the fuselage with the lower demarcation line parallel to a flat surface (work bench / table top) with the fin vertical / wingtips at the same height. A waterline marker could be nothing more than a pencil taped to the top of something solid of the correct height to mark the required line. Check your demarcation line position like @Ade H suggests above by sliding the waterline marker along the surface to bring the pencil tip up against the fuselage at selected nodes The height can be adjusted by shimming the jig or the pencil up, anything flat and of the correct thickness can be used - books, card, coins, etc. Once you're happy you can run the marker round the fuselage to mark a line to mask up to, add bits of tape as above, or if you've run lengths of tape to cover the demarcation line position you can cut the line in the tape and remove the waste. For this you can use a scalpel instead of the pencil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Have you considered a laser used for waterline demarcation ! Seen someone using this to get perfect straight lines along his airliners.. cheers, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 On 04/01/2022 at 23:10, Ade H said: That would seem to be no different to marking out any straight line over a tapered/curved surface, so I will outline what I do for anything from invasion stripes to racing car schemes. If you can pick out nodes along the line, using surface details and/or measurements from other known points, mark these nodes with strips or triangles of tape, as many as necessary (once you have the key nodes picked out, you can easily add more inbetween), and then place the masking edge adjacent to them. The line is easiest to apply with a tape which bends just enough but does not stretch too readily, to avoid introducing errors between nodes. Leave vinyl tape for the sharpest curves, because it can distort during application; instead, use something like a 2 or 3mm tape or cut strips from masking sheet (the graph type is very handy) with a fresh blade. Trial, error, and experience will soon tell you what width is most suited to a given surface shape. Many thanks Ade, its greatly appreciated. That is what I planned on and will definitely do in the future. Unfortunately due to difficult building circumstances I wrecked the surface detail on the DHL I'm doing. I will definitely take your advice onboard for my future builds, I will add though I have managed to get the straight lines I needed so many thanks again. On 05/01/2022 at 11:23, Dave Swindell said: No need to splash out anything on jigs and waterline markers A custom jig can be constructed from scrap packaging, expanded poystyrene, corrugated cardboard, foam board, or raid the kids Lego. You just need something to support the fuselage with the lower demarcation line parallel to a flat surface (work bench / table top) with the fin vertical / wingtips at the same height. A waterline marker could be nothing more than a pencil taped to the top of something solid of the correct height to mark the required line. Check your demarcation line position like @Ade H suggests above by sliding the waterline marker along the surface to bring the pencil tip up against the fuselage at selected nodes The height can be adjusted by shimming the jig or the pencil up, anything flat and of the correct thickness can be used - books, card, coins, etc. Once you're happy you can run the marker round the fuselage to mark a line to mask up to, add bits of tape as above, or if you've run lengths of tape to cover the demarcation line position you can cut the line in the tape and remove the waste. For this you can use a scalpel instead of the pencil. Hi Dave, Many thanks for your advice, I managed to do a combination of what you and Ade suggested. A combination of lego and packing styrene made a nice jig, I managed to mark out a line and its worked flawlessly. I'll definitely use your advice regarding the scalpel I should have used it for this current project. Many thanks, Mark On 05/01/2022 at 12:01, janneman36 said: Have you considered a laser used for waterline demarcation ! Seen someone using this to get perfect straight lines along his airliners.. cheers, Jan Hi Jan, Thanks for your comment, that sound like an excellent idea especially as for this current project I had to remove the line post mask! Thanks, Mark 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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